The community enterprise sector has more than 18,600 full-time employees and is worth €1.8bn per year to the Irish economy, a new report from the Community Enterprise Association Ireland (CEAI) has found.
The growth of the sector has been underpinned by significant investment from Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment over 30 years and more recent funding through the Connected Hubs Network.
With funding of more than €200m per year, the sector is estimated to have delivered a nine-fold return on investment.
CEAI, the representative body for voice for the community enterprise sector and wider enterprise hub network, analysed the economic contribution of Ireland’s community enterprise centres and hubs, their tenants and clients supported in rural and urban areas across the country for the report.
“Today’s CEAI Report highlights the importance of community enterprise centres and enterprise hubs in growing micro-businesses, SMEs and high potential start-ups (HPSUs) in every county in Ireland,” said Siobhán Finn…